Gaudencia and Dominador Nazareno (second and third from left), parents of SWAT officer Rey Anthony Nazareno, during ceremonies honoring their son and three other Bohol heroes in Cebu City —JUNJIE MENDOZA/CEBU DAILY NEWS
CEBU CITY — Her son has been dead for almost four months now, but 67-year-old Gaudencia Nazareno continues to wait for him at home.
Gaudencia would sit outside her house in Calape town, Bohol province every Saturday night waiting for her son PO2 Rey Anthony Nazareno to come home from his tour of duty.
Gaudencia knew though that Rey Anthony, a member of the police’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, would never come home again.
He was the lone policeman among four government fatalities killed at the onset of operations against Abu Sayyaf members who had tried to penetrate Bohol through Inabanga town.
Gaudencia, however, refused to accept her son was gone.
“I continue to wait for him to come home every 10 p.m. on Saturdays because he would be home after every tour of duty,” she said.
“I cannot accept it,” she said. “But I know he will not be coming back,” she added, wiping her tears.
Gaudencia was at City Hall here to receive financial assistance of P500,000 given to each of the families of government troopers who were killed in the operations against Abu Sayyaf in Bohol.
The three other casualties belonged to the Army—2Lt. Estelito Saldua Jr., Sgt. John Dexter Duero and Cpl. Meljune Cajaban.
In a speech honoring the fallen heroes, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the sacrifice of the four men helped stopped the Abu Sayyaf advance into the city.
“I would like to show to all the soldiers here that if you die for us, we will help you more than the national government will ever help you,” said the mayor, before handing checks worth P500,000 each during ceremonies at Plaza Sugbo grounds in front of City Hall.
Janette Cajaban, widow of Cpl. Cajaban, said that while no amount of money could ease the pain of losing a loved one, she needed the help to raise her children.
“While it is difficult to see our children grow up without a father, we strive to continue living normal lives because of your help,” she said.
“It is more comforting to us to think that our loved ones made the ultimate sacrifice not only for the people of Bohol but also for the entire nation,” said Janette, a public school teacher in Bacolod City.
She said she planned to save the P500,000 for the education of her two children, aged 3 and 6 months old.
Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino, Central Visayas police director, recalled an act of generosity of Rey Anthony days before the SWAT officer was killed in Bohol.
With the SWAT lacking equipment, Rey Anthony asked a brother working in Singapore to send over four drones that his SWAT team could use.
Rey Anthony didn’t live to see his brother fulfill his wish. But Rey Anthony’s brother sent a drone to the SWAT and would send three more.